Shirley
by Mr.SturgisPodmore
Summary: This is a Fanfiction about Shirley, starting from her recruitment, to all the way when she finally ascended to Heaven in Vellweb, telling Rose of the fate of their comrades.7 chapters up, please R&R!
1. Author's Note&Disclaimer

Authors' note: This Fanfic is centered on Shirley, as she is a very mysterious character in LOD, and not a lot is known about her, or how she came to be in the Dragon Campaign at all. I decided to beef her up a bit and make her stronger then she appeared in the game, and stronger then Shana and Miranda were as well giving the impression Shirley was the most powerful of the three Light Dragoons. I decided to add in some stuff and make Shirley a little more illuminated and lightened up (pardon the pun). This Fanfic is based, key word here being _based_, on the Dragon Campaign. But I changed some stuff around and made it a bit more interesting. Most of the major events still take place, but something happens before the battle at Kadessa which I tweaked up a bit. Also Damia and Syuveil are shown in the battle though they weren't shown in Rose's flashback and I didn't want to make up new battles for it so I just slipped them into the battle at Kadessa. The first Chapter pretty much follows the movie where we see Rose recollection of what happened, though I did add in some things that didn't happen, the Dragoons you see die say some things and I took them word for word. Also in the beginning of the game before you actually start playing and that movie shows up where it sings the song and whatever? And at the end it shows the Divine Dragon with the saying "You are free to sever the chains of fate that bind you," well it never actually says who says that so I decided; "Damn it! Shirley is going to say it!" lmao. Enjoy: )

Sturgis Podmore

"You are free to sever the chains of fate that bind you."

Disclaimer

I do not own any plot, characters, settings, names, etc. They all belong to Sony, with the exception of minor characters which I invented myself.


	2. Prologue

Prologue

_As if they were gods Winglies ruled over all living creatures, and used them as slaves. The enslaved suffered a terrible domination and injustice. Their anger turned to a flame of fury. Then, a gust wind blew throughout the land, spreading the flame to a blazing fire. The wind was Emperor Diaz. Seven incarnations of dragons served the emperor; their bravery inspired people to take up arms. Thus began the Dragon Campaign. It was a harsh war, both people and Winglies suffered countless injuries and fatalities. After a long period of suffering, it was the humans who acquired the future. The age of humans had begun. _


	3. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Shirley winced as a shield bash from an enemy Wingly hit her on her left side. Gasping, she clutched her side and flew back a few feet. Raising her bow she aimed and fired twice at the Wingly. He avoided the missiles easily. Charging forward sword raised ready to strike, shield out in front prepared to block for more arrows. Shirley side stepped as he charged, sword thrust out. Loading an arrow and charging it with light energy, she fired it at the Wingly. It struck him in the back and he fell to the ground which just happened to be thousands of feet down.

Kadessa was a war zone. The once proud Wingly capital city, which flew through the sky, was covered in blood, bodies, and carnage. Screams filled the air, as they met their dooms under their enemies' blades.

Shirley flew towards a tower where a Wingly was blasting off magical flames at Micheal, Rose's Dragon. The Wingly spotted her as she approached though, and attempted to throw flames at her. She dodged the flames easily and flew towards him. The Wingly was unprepared for this tactic, as she was armed with a bow and didn't load any arrows. Flying up to him, Shirley punched him in the face, bringing her bow behind his head so that the string was on the back of his neck; she pulled back on her bow and let it loose. It flew forwards and knocked the Wingly unconscious. Grabbing the sword from within the scabbard belted to his waist, she drove it through his chest. Blood stained her silver white armor.

She looked out from the tower and spotted Syuveil, one of her comrades zooming past. Summoning a blast of air and aiming it at a group of Winglies as he went. Syuveil was the Jade Dragoon. Wind based, his green armor was also stained with the blood of his foes. The ball of coalesced air hit the Winglies, blowing them into a wall and breaking their bones with a sickening crack. They fell from the sky in the direction of the ground. Syuveil lowered his spear and hunched forward as though injured. Shirley flew towards him quickly. She reached him and he looked at her sharply.

'Are you hurt?' Shirley asked him tenderly. She had always been nice. Calm, cool, and collected, even in the heat of battle she still managed to be polite.

'Yes. But it's not too bad. You should save your energy for more demanding, and graver wounds,' he replied, his face twisting in pain as he breathed.

'Nonsense if that isn't healed soon you'll lose too much blood.' He started to protest but she'd raised her right hand toward the wound, holding it an inch or two from Syuveil's chest. Her hand glowed with silver energy as the magic was released. The area around them glowed silver and many heads quickly turned towards their direction before they realized they were in the middle of a battle.

'Better?' she asked nicely.

'Much. Thanks Shirley. You sure you have enough energy to heal everyone else? This is a gruesome battle,' he said seriously, studying her as he did everything else.

'I'm sure. I'm not as weak as everyone thinks,' she said sharply. One of the few times she was ever strict or sharp was when her strength was questioned, among a few other things.

'I didn't mean to-' but he was cut off as Shirley pushed him to the side. He stumbled in mid air and looked around bewildered. Shirley had summoned an arrow from her hands. Placing it on her bow and pulling back she released it at a huge creature with several eyes atop its humongous head which was flying towards them rapidly. A Virage. Its startling green eyes locked onto Shirley just as the arrow she had fired impacted with its middle eye. The creature roared in agony, lashing out with its huge limbs in an attempt to hurt her. Syuveil took the opportunity to rush forward towards its center eye and jab his spear into it. Again, the creature roared. Pulling out the spear Syuveil withdrew, and began spinning the weapon in a circular motion. A ball of air materialized in front of him. It flew into his fist and he threw it at the Virage. It was knocked back several yards. As it was flying back Shirley fired arrow after arrow at it. Each one impacted one of its many eyes, always a different one. The Virage roared once again. A ball of flame came from no where and hit the Virage squarely in the center of his face. It was too much for the giant; it shrieked horribly and tumbled to the ground.

A man in red armor flew towards the other two. He was adorned in the same general fashion as they were, wings sprouting from his shoulders. They pumped his way to them easily.

'Well done you two. Quite the teamwork, not like Kanzas,' he said, lazily turning his head north. Shirley looked too, and there was Kanzas fighting three Winglies at once, not that he couldn't handle it; it was just that he had sent Damia scurrying off when she had flown in to help him. He'd yelled at her and she flew off looking rather hurt and heading towards a Wingly female who wielded a broadsword. Kanzas jumped and leaped. His fist absolutely drenched in Wingly blood. Punching, kicking, Kanzas was all over. Shirley flicked her gaze back to Zeig who said to her 'Come on now! We've to a battle to win here!' He flew off into a small section of the fortress where Shirley suspected he hoped to find Melbu Frahma, the Wingly dictator. He was the one who enslaved the human race in the first place. He believed that Winglies were superior to everything. He enslaved countless races, using them for manual labor to build their great cities. The humans had tolerated the enslavement long enough, and fought back, thus began the Dragon Campaign. It had been many years since the start of the war, and now it was soon to come to an end, with all hope, and a little luck.

Shirley flew off in pursuit of Zeig, while Syuveil engaged a Wingly in battle. She was catching up to Zeig when she noticed a huge golden brown being in a fight with a super Virage. _Bel'zac. _Shirley flew in that direction, completely forgetting about her objective to help Zeig. If he was going to kill Melbu Frahma he'd need some help though. Shirley spotted Rose flying past her. Adorned in dark violet armor and wielding a rapier.

'Rose!' Rose stared at Shirley in slight shock. She'd never seen her so serious, and was it possible, a little sad?

'What Shirley?' Rose said quickly and sharply.

'Zeig,' she replied simply. Pointing towards the direction he'd flown in. Rose appeared to need no more prompting, and Shirley watched her soar as fast as she could after the love of her life. Shirley, meanwhile, soared as fast as she could to hers. Bel'zac was still attacking the super Virage when Shirley arrived.

'Bel'zac! You're injured! Let me heal you,' she said flying forwards as the super Virage charged a beam from its center eye.

"No, Shirley, I am fine," he said calmly as he always was. The Virage let loose the beam, it missed Bel'zac by inches and he flew towards it, axe raised. He slashed it across its face. It moved around him and went for Shirley. A cry split through the screams of the battle; 'Shirley!' She turned quickly, raising her bow, but was too slow. The super Virage hit her it's with hand and she went flying into a wall. Bel'zac flying over to her picking her up and asking; 'Shirley are you okay?' He saw annoyance flash across her pretty features before she hid it behind a mask of innocence.

'Yes I am fine.' She looked around for the super Virage but she couldn't see it, though she did see a pillar falling towards them.

'Look out!' she screamed. Bel'zac roughly pushed her out of harms way. A little too roughly as it happened, she fell to the ground scraping her knee on the hard stone floor. The pillar had crashed and Bel'zac was holding it up with inhuman strength. Blood dripping from his temple he groaned with the effort of keeping the pillar from crushing them, but his desire to protect Shirley urged him onwards. 'Shirley…' he managed to say. 'Shirley…run!' But Shirley didn't run. She didn't leave the man she loved. The super Virage jabbed a finger through Bel'zac's chest, but still he held up the pillar. The super Virage poked his head through the gap and began charging up a silver beam to kill them.

_No! No! NO! _Bel'zac raged inside of him. How could he have let that thing hit Shirley? He wanted to hit it, smash it, kill it. But he wanted to make sure Shirley was alright more. He flew towards her and she said she was fine. She screamed and pointed up. Bel'zac looked and saw a pillar falling towards them. Shoving Shirley aside he gripped the pillar as it fell, saving himself and Shirley. Groaning with the effort he managed to say 'Shirley…run!' But she didn't. Why didn't she fly away? The Virage jabbed a finger through his chest and Bel'zac nearly let go. The pain was so great. The Virage was charging up its energy now. He heard Shirley say his name 'Bel'zac!' He wanted to respond, tell her he was alright, but the weight was too much.

_Too much weight…too much…SHIRLEY!_

Bel'zac looked at Shirley quickly. She had summoned a red arrow and was preparing to fire it at the Virage. She said; "Your death wont be in vain" and fired just as the Virage fired his beam. _No! No! No!_ Bel'zac felt the beam impact him. He felt his grip loosen on the pillar and the last thing he felt was Shirley's hand grasping his.

_Shirley…_

'Bel'zac!' Shirley gasped. He groaned in response. White silver light was coming from the center eye of the super Virage. Shirley summoned a bright red arrow from her hand. Pulling back, and saying; 'Your death won't be in vain.' She released the arrow right as the Virage fired the beam. The beam hit Bel'zac, and he dropped the pillar. Shirley didn't try to run as the pillar came falling down. She merely fell next to Bel'zac grasped his hand and waited for the inevitable.

Damia saw her two comrades die. Crushed by a pillar. But they had died together, which is what they would have wanted. Shirley even managed to dispatch the super Virage, who was now falling rapidly towards the ground miles below, before her untimely death. A single tear rolled down Damia's cheek. She wiped it away, though she was sad, now was not the time to morn them. She sighed and flew towards the opening she'd seen Zeig head through, determined to catch up with him and help. He'd no doubt gone to kill Melbu Frahma and Damia wanted to help with that. She wanted to help end this war…

Syuveil dispatched the Wingly in front of him with ease. Another zoomed in front of him. The Wingly slashed with his sword and Syuveil dodged it. The Wingly let loose a complicated series of blows which Syuveil either dodged or parried with his spear. Laughing now he taunted; 'Come now…is that really the best you have?' The Wingly charged forward, incensed by Syuveil's taunt. The Wingly attacked with two hands on his weapon. Syuveil blocked it with his spear with two hands on each end of it but the powerful blow snapped his spear in half. Left weaponless, Syuveil turned to his magic. He let loose a blast of wind at the Wingly which he stopped with a magic shield of his own. The Wingly was getting closer…closer…His sword raised high.

_I wonder what it is like to die. _

The Wingly brought down the sword, slashing open Syuveil's chest.

_I hope my studies will guide me to a better place then Mayfil…_

Damia's hands glowed blue as she clapped them together, one coming from each side. They impacted with the sound of a wave of water. It was un-apparent to the six Winglies why this sound occurred until a huge wave of water came crashing towards them. Picking them up in its infinite depths and slamming them against a wall.

Damia made a triumphant gesture. The fifteen year old girl was exuberant. She flew around the battle flying high to observe the damage. She saw Syuveil's vassal dragon's corpse sprawled on a wall. She saw a huge arrow flying at the city. It impacted a wall, reducing it to rubble and it tumbled to the ground thousands of feet down. She knew it had come from Vellweb, the human capital. She flew back down to battle level, and was immediately surrounded by six Winglies, who all charged her at the same time. The fifteen year old couldn't decide what to do, and her hesitation sealed her doom. They tore her apart and blood stained her elegant blue sea armor, as her corpse plummeted to the ground. Falling through the clouds, and hurtling downwards. And the last thing Damia saw before darkness consumed her was a giant mass of clear blue amongst brown.

_The sea…_

Kanzas flew by as fast as he could. Blocking a sword attack with his arm (He had special armor made there) and punching him through the chest. The Wingly crumpled and died. Kanzas had seen Zeig and Rose fly into the structure and Shirley and Bel'zac were already dead. He felt no remorse or sadness; only one thought entered his mind; _weak. They were weak. _He flew through the opening and saw a Virage there it fired a beam at Rose who was fighting it. Although he knew what the cost was, he knew he wanted to end the war more, and if Rose didn't help Zeig…

He flew at the Virage, grabbing its center eye. Summoning electricity around him, and saying 'I'm taking you with me! Hwahh!!!' He exploded in a blast of purple and red flames. The Virage crumpled and died as the explosion obliterated it. Above a fellow comrade screamed his name.

_Kill him Rose, kill that bastard. Don't let me die for nothing…_

"Kanzas!" Rose screamed aloud. An explosion was coming towards her rapidly. Without time to fly away, Rose raised her hands above her face, protecting it. And then she felt a soft grip on her upper arm, pulling her away from the explosion as a voice yelled; 'Rose!' _Zeig._ Zeig pulled her away from the flames and flew off after Melbu Frahma. Rose zoomed after him. Zeig shouted and charged Frahma, sword raised. They fought. Blow, after blow. But Rose just wasn't getting there fast enough. It was as if she was moving as fast as she could, as she undoubtedly was because her energy was seriously draining, but it was as if the landscape was moving against her, like the wind. _Come on…come on…faster._

She cursed herself. Rose could only watch as Zeig plunged his sword into Frahma's chest. He screamed, and Rose watched as green sparks flew across Zeig's chest, slowly moving across his entire body. He gasped in surprise and his mouth formed an "O" in shock. _ZEIG!_ Rose screamed inwardly, unable to make the word form on her lips. She rushed to him; he was slowly turning to stone.

_Damn you Melbu Frahma._

'Go,' He said hoarsely. 'Save…yourself.' Rose tried to grab his hand but it too, was stone. It slipped and she was falling backwards, away from Zeig. 'Zeig!' she yelled aloud this time.

'_Zeig!' _

But it was no use…he was gone, and she was left in solitude…

_Rose!_ Zeig watched as Kanzas flew forward sacrificing himself in order to kill the Virage. Though he hadn't expected that his explosion was that powerful, and Rose was right there!

_Damn it Kanzas. Even in death you cause more trouble then your worth. _

Zeig flew toward her grabbed her upper arm yelling; 'Rose!' He flew her out of harms way. Making sure she was unharmed before zooming off in pursuit of Melbu Frahma, who was attempting to escape. Zeig charged him, sword raised. Melbu parried the blow and let loose a ripple of fire at Zeig. He didn't even bother dodging or blocking it, he knew it wouldn't do anything as he was the Red-eyed dragoon, fire wouldn't do much to harm him. He stabbed Frahma through the chest with his sword.

_Die. Die, and may the war end with your death._

Zeig smiled at Frahma as he screamed. He looked down at his chest, green sparks were jumping all over it, he quickly glanced at Melbu alarmed, and who smiled weakly. The sparks were turning him to stone. He was becoming stone!

_Rose._

She was trying to grab onto him. 'Go. Save…yourself.' He heard her scream his name as she flew farther and farther away. Zeig's vision went black. But he could still hear Rose.

'Zeig…'


	4. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

'And that Drake,' Shirley said, "is what happened." She looked sadly at the bandit before her. He had lived in a small village until he was thrown out for stealing what he needed to survive. Wandering, he found a beautiful shrine which he had made his home. Shirley had come here to seek sanctuary. After her death in the Dragon Campaign, she had turned herself into spirit to avoid forever being damned in Mayfil. Traveling across Endiness she had found this wonderful shrine, and had floated in to find Drake, who had been living here for several years.

'You expect me to believe that garbage? Get out of my shrine before I carve you up!' he said threateningly, drawing a small bandit's knife and holding it in front of her menacingly. He waved it tauntingly saying; 'So get out of here. Got it?'

'Oh I understand perfectly. I am graced with a sharp mind and keen intellect. Although I find it amusing that you think that little thing can harm me,' she said sweetly, giving him a smile.

'Oh yeah? We'll see!' He jumped forwards and slashed her. It went right through her. He jumped back startled. He slashed her again, and again it went through her.

'W-What the hell are you?"

'I have told you. I am a Dragoon from the Dragon Campaign. I was killed and have turned myself into pure spirit in order to preserve myself, and also because I do not wish to spend an eternity in sorrow and pain in Mayfil. You know of the Dragon Campaign I assume?'

'I-' he nodded flustered.

'Excellent. Well I had hoped you would as I just gave you a blow for blow account of the final battle, which decided the fate of us humans, which was to live.' She smiled again. 'Now that you know my story is true, and that I did indeed fight, and die in the Dragon Campaign, will you let me stay here?'

He faltered. Her story was still a load of crap. So what if his attacks went right through her? That didn't change a thing.

'Actually it changes everything,' Shirley said quietly.

'What?' he said alarmed. Surely she couldn't tell what he was thinking? But when she spoke his fears were realized.

'Actually yes, I can tell what you are thinking. A little gift of mine I picked up from a friend, who taught me her secret. Although, if you wish it, I will refrain from using it on you.'

'Please. And I guess you can stay here. It isn't really my shrine. Come in,' he said grudgingly. 'One thing though, no more mind reading.'

'Very well,' Shirley replied. He led her through the shrine. Explaining to her the different traps he had set up to keep bandits out. They walked up stairs (Or rather Drake walked, Shirley merely floated), until they reached a dead end. Shirley was puzzled until Drake walked over to something resembling a sun clock. Drake walked up to it and began turning the dials.

"Drake what-?" But he silenced her with a gesture. He spun the dials, which had numbers on them.

_2, 3, 5._

The device clicked and a ladder came tumbling down. Drake climbed the ladder and Shirley ascended. They reached stairs with two statues on each side. Drake began to climb them with Shirley floating beside him. When Drake reached the top however, the stairs fell into themselves, becoming a ramp, and he slid down to the bottom. When he fell off them they went back to normal.

'Damn it! I thought I changed it back!' He grumbled to himself while Shirley watched him change the statues direction from the top of the stairs where she floated. He walked up the stairs and they did not collapse this time. He gestured for Shirley to follow him. They entered an area surrounded by water. Kind of like an island, but made of stone. There were ascending stairs in a circular formation and a center piece in the center of the circle. There was an opening across it which Shirley entered. She saw a cot tucked away in a corner. But the rest of the large room was absolutely filled with gold, weapons, and other such things.

'What is this place?' she asked Drake in shock.

'You're the psychic you tell me,' he replied coolly. She eyed him flatly and he said; 'I have dunno what this place is. It was filled when I got here. I'd guess it's some kind of treasure room.'

'Treasury,' Shirley corrected under her breath.

'Yeah whatever. The English ain't too good,' he said dryly.

'I noticed,' Shirley replied coolly. Silence fell among them while Shirley examined the room, looking through the treasure.

'So...'Drake said, 'you've told me about the final battle, but what about the others? And Vellweb you mentioned, and other wingly cities. And what is this Mayfil? What does it do? Where is it? And who were the other people you talked about?'  
'Questions, questions, and more _questions!_' she said laughing, reminded of herself when she had first learned about all of those things. 'Very well, I'll tell you about Vellweb and the other battles we fought. But then I have to go for a bit. I'll be back in a few days.'

'Where are you going?' he asked slightly confused.

'You will know when you need to. If ever.' Shirley added. He stared at her defiantly, but she stared him down and he looked away. 'Do you want to hear what I've to say or not?'

'Yes,' he said stupidly.

'Good. I'll start with how I first came to Vellweb and my history and all that. Otherwise you'll not understand the rest of my tale. Well I lived in a small town. And I was twenty-five when the Dragoons came and recruited me. There were only 3 at the time, Zeig, Syuveil, and Bel'zac. I was-'

'Bel'zac your lover? Who you died with?' Drake interrupted.

'Yes,' Shirley said patiently. 'Anyways, I was slightly nervous…'


	5. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

'You're sure that's her?' Syuveil asked Zeig in an undertone as Shirley approached them, looking slightly uneasy but confident nonetheless.

'Don't be so rude Syuveil,' Zeig said. Flicking back his blond hair. "Yes I'm sure it's her, unless she has an identical twin. It was definitely that woman who helped me kill the White-Silver Dragon, and the woman who joined our cause, she is the only one who can use the spirit. You know that.' Syuveil sighed.

'Yes I know that. But-' He didn't finish because Shirley was within hearing range of them. She smiled uncertainly at the three men in front of her. Zeig, who had recruited her, smiled back. And so did the big one, adorned in golden brown armor. The one in green, however, returned the smile only half-heartedly. She felt awkward, she was the only female Dragoon so far, Zeig had told her that, and she felt slightly out of place compared to the muscular men in front of her.

'Well Diaz will be wanting to meet you. We should head back to Vellweb.' Zeig said. Suddenly Zeig was bathed in bright red light. And the big one was smothered by golden brown light, and the final was covered in green light. The light dissipated after a few seconds and all three of them had sprouted wings. And their armor had molded. It was the exact color of the light that had surrounded them. Shirley didn't transform. She wasn't quite sure how.

'What's wrong Shirley?' Zeig asked kindly. 'Are you having trouble transforming?" Shirley hesitated then nodded. Zeig expression softened. He gestured for the other two to take off, and they flew up fifty feet and hovered there, surveying them from above. 'The first transformation is always hard. Just concentrate. The power of the White-Silver Dragon is already inside you. You just need to release it.'

'I will try.' And try she did. But no matter how hard she did, she just couldn't get the power flowing. After a while Syuveil flew down and whispered something in Zeig's ear. His expression hardened but he nodded.

'It seems you will not be transforming at the moment. Bel'zac has offered to fly you to Vellweb if you wish,' Zeig said. Shirley was torn. She didn't want to hold them up, but she didn't want to seem weak.

'Please wait. I would like to try again.' she said determinedly. Zeig nodded again and Syuveil flew up to join Bel'zac. Shirley concentrated, searching deep inside herself for the power of the White-Silver Dragon. But she just couldn't find it. She looked around some more and felt something unknown to her. Something alien. Excited she dug into it and felt the power of the Dragon course through her. She watched as her body was bathed in silver white light. After a while, the light dissipated and she looked down at herself shocked.

She was adorned in white amour. A silver ruby was on her chest. She reached up and felt her forehead. There seemed to be some kind of head band there. But it too was made of the same armor. Her red hair flopped out at the sides and it clashed well with her white armor. She flexed her wings experimentally and found that she could move them as easily as she could her hand or her leg. She looked at Zeig, astonished. He smiled and said, 'Now you are truly a Dragoon.' He pumped his powerful wings and took off, joining Syuveil and Bel'zac. Shirley followed him, pumping her own wings. They set off toward Vellweb. Zeig out in front, Syuveil beside him, talking quietly, and Shirley was with Bel'zac, who despite his rather large physique and musculature was really nice, and sweet.

'So this Diaz, he is our leader?' Shirley asked Bel'zac with interest.

'Yes. He is the one who rallied the humans together in order to fight off the oppression of the Winglies. He is now our leader,' Bel'zac replied with enthusiasm.

'What exactly are Winglies?' Shirley asked. She had heard about them, but was unclear on exactly what they were.

'They are creatures of magic. They can summon and control magic. Much like us Dragoons, although we are restricted to use powers only based upon our element. Anyways, Winglies can use magic. Also they can sprout wings of silver energy and fly, thus the name "Winglies". They enslaved humanity and many other races, upon the belief that they are superior to us. And we have just begun to mount a rebellion.'

'Oh so they are magical beings?' Shirley asked interested.

'Yes. Very powerful.'

'I have another question. Why wasn't my village enslaved?' Shirley asked curiously. It didn't really make sense how the entire human race was enslaved but her village had not been.

'Your village was too small for Frahma to worry about. It didn't pose a threat, and therefore was not worth sending soldiers to enslave it when they could be put to much better use.'

'Who's Frahma?'

"Melbu Frahma,' Bel'zac said his expression darkening, "is the Wingly dictator. He is the leader of the Winglies. And is a highly accomplished user of magic. He is the most powerful wingly in all of Endiness.'

'Oh'

'Yes. Oh look. It's a human battalion. That's one of our main forces there. They're on their way to Vellweb,' Bel'zac said pointing downwards. Shirley looked and sure enough there were thousands upon thousands of human soldiers down there. They kept flying in the direction of Vellweb, and had left the human battalion long behind. As they neared Vellweb, Shirley saw camp fires all around, as it was now night time. Though even through the darkness she could see the illuminations of seven towers.

'Whose towers are those?' She said pointing to them.

'Ours,' Zeig said flying up to her. 'Diaz slumbers beneath them.'

'But why seven? I thought there were eight Dragoons? Each Dragoon has an opposite which would leave eight,' Shirley stated confused.

'No,' Bel'zac said laughing. The sound rumbled deep in his throat. 'There is Fire' he gestured to Zeig with a slight movement of the head, 'whose opposite is Water.'

'Where are they?' Shirley asked him.

'They have yet to be found,' Zeig said with a hint of impatience.

'Oh,' Shirley said dully.

'Yes, we have yet to find them. As I was saying, there is Fire and Water, Earth,' at this he smiled, 'Air of course, which is my opposite.' He gestured to Syuveil. 'Then there is Light," (he gestured to Shirley) 'and Darkness, who has not yet been recognized. And the finally is Lightning, which doesn't exactly have an opposite, and they have not been recognized either,' Bel'zac said calmly and patiently.

'I have one last question,' Shirley announced to the group.

'And we will answer if we can,' Bel'zac said nodding. Shirley stared at him. He was so polite, so calm; it really didn't suit his humongous physique.

'Alright. What exactly are Dragoons? I mean what are these stones? And why do they glow when they're together?'

'You are filled with many questions Shirley,' Zeig said with amusement.

'My parents were of the same opinion,' she replied stiffly.

'Dragoons,' Bel'zac said, 'are the result of the transformation due to a Dragoon _spirit._'

'And what exactly is that'

'A Dragoon spirit,' Zeig said, joining in, 'is the soul of a Dragon. When the war began we knew that alone, we would be no match for the Winglies. They are just too powerful. So we killed the Dragons, molding their souls into Dragoon Spirits. Which are these stones we have. They enable us to transform into Dragoons, or Dragon Knights. Also we each have our own Vassal Dragon's. I took you for yours Shirley. Your Vassal Dragon, which you may name at your discretion, is waiting for you in Vellweb as well.'

'My Vassal Dragon?'

'Yes,' Zeig said. 'The baby Dragon that the larger one turned into after we made the Spirit, though it's grown since last you saw it.'

'And as for your other question, we do not know why they glow when they are together, or resonate, they just do. It helps us know when our comrades are close,' Syuveil said.

'Just so Syuveil,' Zeig said. 'Anything else Shirley before we meet Emperor Diaz?' When she shook her head Zeig flew towards the seven towers. They all followed him, landing in front of stairs which led down. He transformed and became human again. The other three did the same, and Zeig led the way down the steps. He walked with genuine authority, Bel'zac and Syuveil on either side of him, Shirley just behind them. They reached stairs which spiraled downwards several hundred feet. Shirley was astonished at the length of the staircase. They began walking down the steps. There were openings in the walls leading to different rooms. Occasionally Shirley asked where the doors led and one of the three Dragoons answered her. They reached a door and Zeig stopped in front of it. He turned to Shirley who wondered what he was doing.

'Now Shirley, through these doors is the Emperor, a truly nice man, though easily crossed. And I doubt you will, but I must warn you nevertheless, do-not-anger-the-emperor,' he said in one breath. She nodded and Zeig led the way inside.

There were braziers along a corridor that opened up into the sky of Vellweb. There was a throne in which a man Shirley took to be Diaz sat. He was dressed in a godly fashion. His robe was the purest silk, and the lace that trimmed it! Beautiful. He wielded a staff which Shirley assumed to represent authority. As they reached the throne, the three Dragoons went down on one knee in a form of praise. Shirley, who caught on a moment later, did the same.

'Rise,' Diaz said in a soft voice. But Shirley had the impression that, however soft it might have been, it was a voice that demanded absolute obedience and no protests.

'You,' he said pointing at Shirley 'What is your name?' he asked.

'Shirley your majesty,' She said unsure if she was to use "your majesty" "Sir" or anything at all.

As if he read her mind he said; 'Emperor will do. And which Element are you?' he asked with interest, leaning his head on one hand which rested on the arms of his throne.

'Er…Light sir.' She said uncertainly.

"Light." He repeated. "Light. Yes you suit the element." Turning to Zeig who was looking at Shirley, he asked; "Has she made her first transformation? Or did one of you fly her?"

"She made the transformation and flew here herself." Zeig said glancing at her.

"Really?" Diaz replied. Shirley thought he sounded impressed. "I am impressed. That requires a lot of energy. You will become a powerful Dragoon I think. But enough of this! Shirley, the other Dragoons pointed out the seven towers yes?" She nodded. "Good. Zeig will show you to your tower. The room has been fitted based upon your element. Although we decorated the room before you were recognized so it may not be to your liking. If so, please let me know and I will have it changed to your exact requests. That will be all." They turned to leave. As they were at the door he called back to them; "The meeting is in three hours!" They left. Syuveil transformed and flew up to the top steps and headed up to his tower.

"I don't think he likes me too much." Shirley said to Zeig.

"Oh no he does, he is just too interested in his scrolls." When Shirley gave him a questioning look he said; "Syuveil, has spent much of his life searching for the answers to life and death. And spends most of his idle time poring over old books and scrolls in search of the answers."

"Oh so he's kind of a scholar?" Zeig nodded. "Then what is he doing in the Dragon Campaign? War is hardly a place for a scholar."

"Syuveil was recognized by the Jade Dragon, after that no questions were raised. It is his fate to be here. And he has an obligation to us, and the human race to fight, scholar or not. Dragoon spirits accept only one master. Syuveil is that master. Had he not joined us, we would be one Dragoon short. Though it was hardly his choice."

"How do you mean?" Shirley asked him confused as they ascended the steps. "Surely he wasn't forced to be here?"

"Oh no I didn't mean it like that, I merely meant that one cannot avoid their fate. It was his fate to fight in the Dragon Campaign. And so he is here." Shirley didn't quite understand but they had reached the stairs that led to the seven towers. They were in a circular formation. Zeig led Shirley to hers. They climbed up the steps and entered through the opening. Shirley's mouth opened in amazement.

Her room was beautiful. Steps led up to a small chamber where Shirley assumed her bed was. There was a beautifully made railing which kept her from falling. A desk with a torch hung on the wall beside it. A beautiful silver white carpet was on the floor. A stand which was on the right side of the steps lading to her bed. She walked up to it and saw a small circular hole on it. Puzzled she turned to Zeig who pulled out his Dragoon spirit. Shirley did the same, and the two glowed together. Zeig's red and hers silver. He put his away and Shirley's stopped shining. Looking at the stone she noticed it was about the same size as the hole. Cautiously she placed the stone in the hole, where it fit perfectly. Turning to Zeig again and smiling she said "This place is perfect. Tell Emperor Diaz thank you from me."

"You can tell him yourself. You have to report back to Diaz's chamber in three hours for a meeting on how to find the other three Dragoons. It is crucial that they are found."

"I'll be there." Shirley assured him.

"See that you are. Diaz does not like lateness." He left and Shirley looked around her room. She eyed a feathered pen on her desk with an ink bottle beside it. Her mother had taught her to read and write when she was little. Though she doubted she enjoyed it as much as Syuveil. Shirley ventured around the seven towers. She'd gone around the circle three rimes when she noticed Bel'zac leaning in the opening to his own room.

"You've gone around a few times. Care for some company?"

"Sure." She said shrugging. They walked side by side around the circle of towers.

"Which one is Zeig's?" She asked Bel'zac innocently.

"That one there." He said pointing to one of the towers. "What is your interest in him?" He asked quickly.

"Oh nothing like that." She replied hastily. "I was merely curious."

"Mmm…." Was Bel'zac's only reply. Shirley looked at him with concern. He seemed agitated. And he wasn't responding to her questions or comments. After another rotation he walked up to his own tower and went inside.

"What was that about?" Shirley wondered aloud.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! The man you loved thought you loved some other guy?" Drake exclaimed, interrupting Shirley's story.

"Yes, it seemed so. Though we didn't love each other at the time."

"B-but, you said he was calm and all that! Said he was big and that it didn't suit him or whatever!" Spluttered Drake, casually lying on his cot while Shirley floated a few feet from him.

"Yes. But at the time I didn't have feelings for him." She replied patiently.

"Well whatever you say. Just skip to the good part with the meeting and things! None of that mushy crap! Who wants to hear that?" He exclaimed.

"Love makes a story unique. But if you don't want to hear it-"

"I don't! Just skip to the meat and tell me about the meeting! Did you find the other Dragoons? Well I mean obviously you did, as they were all there at the battle of Kadreena-"

"Kadessa." Shirley said.

"Or whatever the hell it was!" continued Drake, giving no sign that he had her Shirley correct him. Shirley sighed.

"Very well. The meeting…"

"So in short, we have no idea where to find the other Dragoons?" Shirley asked Diaz.

"Precisely. Although fate is said to bring the Dragoons together…"

"Then we should just go where we are needed." Bel'zac said wisely "If fate does indeed bring the Dragoons together when they are needed then we should just do what we normally do, and we will find the other three Dragoons, yes?" No one could find an alternative so it was decided they would go with this tactic.

"Very well. Then it is decided that we will do as we normally would. Perhaps the reason we have not found them is because we have been looking for them." Diaz said thoughtfully. "Now the matter, I'm afraid, turns to where the winglies will strike next."

"Well we can rule out Vellweb. Even with their substantial forces they would not dare risk attacking our Capital." Syuveil said.

"I agree." Diaz said. "So that still leaves the question of 'Where will they attack?'"

"Who says they'll attack at all?" Shirley said. All four men looked at her sharply, and she sincerely wished she hadn't spoken. She felt her face going red.

"Do not be embarrassed. It is quite possible that they will not attack. Though I agree with Syuveil that they would not attack Vellweb, but what of Fort Magrad?" Dias asked quickly.

"Fort Magrad?" said Shirley blankly.

"It is a human settlement located in the snow plains. It is isolated and safe from winglies for the most part. It is where most of our forces lay in wait." Syuveil said. "Fort Magrad and Vellweb are close enough together that, should one be attacked, reinforcements can be there fairly quickly."

"Precisely." Diaz said. "Then if they do attack, and it is just as likely that Frahma will be waiting for us to make the first move, then it will most likely be Fort Magrad?"

"Yes. But they could just as easily be attacking one of our smaller encampments."

"True. Although knowing Frahma, he probably won't attack a weaker settlement for fear of us launching a counter attack while his troops are off attacking a weak settlement." Diaz said wisely.

"Then we send our forces to Magrad?" Shirley asked.

"Yes, but not all. We should leave a substantial amount here at Vellweb. Although it is unlikely they will attack, we cannot afford to lose our capital." Bel'zac stated his face darkening.

"Agreed." Diaz said. "Shirley are you skilled with any weapon?"

"Not really. I've shot a bow before and I have basic training with a sword, but other then that no, I don't."

"Hmm…which would you prefer? A sword or a bow?" Shirley thought hard. This was important.

"I think the bow would be most fitting don't you? A sword is too…I don't quite know but it is too something for the Light Dragoon." She said looking at each man in turns. "Don't you think?"

"I know what you mean." Zeig said nodding. "Come, I will get you a bow and show you where you can practice." He led her out of Diaz's chamber with the other two right behind them. When Syuveil didn't take off and head to his tower Zeig asked; "Syuveil, you do not go to join your precious scrolls?"

"No." He replied. "In that last battle a Wingly nearly beheaded me because I was too slow with my spear. I must touch up." He said looking up at the top of the stairs. "Oh we don't have time for this." He transformed and flew to the top steps. When he reached the top he turned back into a human and looked down at the other three, urging them to transform with an impatient gesture. They all transformed and reached the top quickly. They walked towards the armory. A gruff looking man covered in soot greeted them with an angry glance.

"Problems Oldel?" Zeig inquired pleasantly.

"Yes." The man replied gruffly, soot in his beard. "My best hammer broke today. Making that special armor Diaz wanted."

"But surely protecting our leader is worth your "best hammer"? Syuveil said sharply.

"Well yes." Oldel said hesitantly. "But that was a really good hammer hard to find any that good now a days."

"I'm sure you'll make due. We need a bow." Zeig said.

"A bow? I don't make very many bows…hang on a second. I might have one in the back somewheres." He started to leave but turned back to them and asked "Wait, whose it for? The young lady?" He looked at Shirley who nodded. He put up a finger and left. Shirley could hear Oldel dropping things in the back as he tried to get at the bow. She heard a curse as a particularly loud crash came from the back.

When Oldel returned he had in his hand a beautifully made bow which Shirley doubted he could've made. It was just too pretty. It had carvings along its length and a specially carved area with an indent where the hand holding it was meant to go. Carved in to this area was writing Shirley was not familiar with. She pointed it out to Syuveil, who she thought, would be most likely to know what it was.

"It is in the dialect of the winglies." He said. When Shirley opened her mouth to ask if he could read it he said quickly "No. I cannot read it. You'll have to find a wingly willing to read it for you." Oldel chuckled "Not a chance." He said still laughing. Shirley left a minute later with her bow in her hand, leaving the gruff Oldel to make due without his best hammer. Zeig pointed down from where they stood in Vellweb.

"There, is the training area. Normally we would fly." As Shirley pulled out her Dragoon spirit. "But I want to show you something." Shirley saw Syuveil and Bel'zac exchanges looks of curiosity before they looked away. Zeig walked down the steps and Shirley, Bel'zac and Syuveil followed. After a few minutes walking Zeig stopped and pointed towards something. Two mean sat in chairs in front of the huge machine.

"Know what it is?" Zeig asked her. Shirley shook head. She had no idea what it could be.

"It is a giant arrow shooter. We use it to shoot down the winglies floating cities." Shirley's eyes widened.

"Their cities _float_?" She exclaimed.

"Yes." Zeig said nodding. "Winglies are extremely powerful. This is turning out to be a difficult war. The winglies are powerful. And Melbu Frahma gets stronger by the day. We'll need all the Dragoons to end this war." He walked over to the two men sitting in front of the arrow shooter. "Hey you two, fire off an arrow anywhere. But don't hit a city, we don't want to entice the winglies right now."

"Yes sir" One said saluting him. They ran over to the device pulled a few leavers, and Shirley watched as a giant arrow went shooting out fast as lightning, and disappearing into the clouds.

"They can bring down entire cities?" Shirley asked in astonishment.

"Yes." Syuveil said. "Although not usually on their own, we usually fire off quite a few, although one has brought down a decent fortress when we hit their center."

They proceeded to the training center. As they approached, Shirley saw archery targets across a wide field of about 500 feet. She heard the sound of clashing swords and looked in that direction. Two men were engaged in a sword fight, jumping leaping, slashing, and stabbing. Shirley looked away and back to the archery target. She looked at Zeig and he motioned to the archery target with his head. Shirley grabbed her bow from where she'd set it on the ground, loading a single arrow, she pulled back, aimed briefly, and fired. She grinned as her arrow hit the bulls-eye. Zeig too smiled at her success. She shot two more each hit the bulls-eye.

Syuveil was laughing now saying "She's a natural!" Bel'zac too seemed pleased. Syuveil and Zeig began squaring off a few feet from Shirley, and she looked over to watch the more experienced Dragoons fight. Most people in the training center too, turned and stared in amazement at the two Dragoons. Zeig was stronger, but Syuveil was faster. Zeig rushed forward and slashed at Syuveil, who ducked and attempted to jab Zeig with his spear. Zeig shifted to the left, and at the same time expertly flicking his sword to Syuveil's throat. They breathed heavily as the crowd cheered, Shirley included. They sheathed they're weapons and shook hands. Syuveil left the training area, probably to read his ancient texts and scrolls. Bel'zac was no where to be found and Zeig walked over to Shirley.

"Diaz left Vellweb an hour ago. He has a meeting with the captains in Fort Magrad. He doesn't need us there" He said as Shirley made to walk out of the training center. "He just needs to talk to the captains." Shirley nodded and she left the training center, picking up her bow from where it lay on the ground, and retrieving her arrows. She walked to her room and lay down in her bed. It was very comfortable. After all the days events she sure good use a good night's sleep.


	6. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"Very well Drake. That is not the end of my tale but as I said before I have to go for a few days. I will return soon." Shirley said to Drake, who still lay casually on the bed. He eyed her, probably trying to figure out where she was off to. Shirley wasn't sure though, as she had given him her word that she wouldn't delve into his mind.

"Where are you going?" He said quickly, as though trying to catch her off guard and scare her into and answer.

"You will know when you need to." She turned to leave. Drake didn't pursue her, just mouthed incoherent words as he flustered for her to give him an answer as to where she was going. She floated through the shrine until she reached it's only exit, and only entrance. She floated out the shrine and found herself, after a few leagues of slow floating, in the wilderness. After a day or so of traveling, Shirley reached The Home of Giganto. She'd had to traverse through the southern parts of Serdio, which were the beginnings of a great human civilization. She avoided Tiberoa entirely, which was also to become one of the three great human countries. After going through the desert barrens she had reached The Home of Giganto. Ancient ruins which were built by the Gigantos, human beings but huge, very big and much stronger then any human was, or ever could be. The Gigantos were a simple folk, whose language wasn't too good. Shirley was able to avoid them and reach a rock.

Shirley knew that behind this rock was a secret passage which led to a wingly town. Although unlike most winglies, these ones did not participate in the war. And the town was run by Charle Frahma, Melbu Frahma's sister. There Shirley knew she could find an old friend…

She reached the rock which was covered in Giganto ruins. Spreading her arms apart, she moved the rock with what little magic she still had. The rock moved and dust came from under it, revealing a stone passage. She entered it and floated along the dank, damp corridor.

An hour or so later she found herself in a ruined wingly city. Stones toppled over, pillars broken or cracked, dust and dirt everywhere, broken pots, and magical lamps. Shirley looked across from the balcony she was on, the view showed the barren landscape of a desert, sand dunes and what not. She floated up a little higher and again, spread her arms wide. Light seemed to be coming towards her from a certain point in the desert, building up around her until she was no longer visible beneath the bright light. A sudden huge white flash and the light dissipated, and the landscape had changed. Sure it was still a desert. But in the center of the desert was an oasis. Or what looked like one. Shirley could tell it was actually made of stone, but foliage and plants, trees and other such things were clearly visible. She had found Ulara. Shirley began floating towards it.

When she reached Ulara, a group of winglies surrounded her and raised their hands, prepared to use magic. Shirley too raised her hands, although not to use magic. She put them above her head the universal gesture for "I surrender".

"I want to talk to Charle Frahma." Shirley said clearly. The winglies around her stiffened. "I want to speak to Charle Frahma." Shirley repeated.

"We heard you human." One said, a male stepping forward, his platinum hair shining in the sun. The platinum hair that all winglies have. "Wait…I recognize you! You were one of those blasted Dragoons! You killed countless winglies!" Shirley frowned.

"I thought the winglies of Ulara didn't participate in the war?"

"They didn't." The wingly replied. "Bur the survivors in the war had to go somewhere didn't they? So what are you really doing here Dragoon? Come to kill Charle like you killed Melbu?"

"No." Shirley said calmly. Although in reality her patience was wearing thin. Every moment she wasted meant that her friend had one more moment to leave again. "I need to speak to Charle Frahma. I swear on my position as a Dragoon that I intend no harm to her." Shirley said. "Nor you winglies." She added to be sure.

"Ah but your not a Dragoon anymore are you? I saw you die, with that other Dragoon. You _died _human. How is it you come to be here?" Shirley smiled at him. Although her patience was wearing thin again.

"I turned myself into spirit form to avoid being damned in your precious death capital." The wingly flushed.

"How dare you!" The wingly yelled and drew his sword flying forward, as wings of silver energy sprouted from his back. He slashed Shirley, but it passed right through her. He tried again, and again it went through her. He attacked her 5 consecutive times in a row, but all of them passed through her as if she were the air itself. The wingly jumped back and began charging up a magic ball. He was about to throw it when a sharp, cold voice came from the crowd.

"Stop!" said the thunderous cold voice. It was unmistakably female. The throng of winglies stepped to each side and a dark haired female walked through the newly created gap. Her armor was black with gold trimming around the edges. Her head black head band across her forehead, looking as though she had elf ears. She was pale and her slender legs were close together as she walked forwards. A rapier dangled at her side and her left leg was covered in cloth armor but her right leg only came up to her mid thy. She saw Shirley floating there and a shocked expression came across her pretty features.

"Shirley…?" Rose said astonished. Shirley nodded. "But how…? You died. You died with Bel'zac…"

"Yes. It is true. I died with Bel'zac, crushed by a pillar. By the way, did I manage to kill that super virage?" Shirley looked at Rose, who nodded.

"Yes Shirley. You killed it. But how? How are you here? It is fact that you died." Rose said.

"Yes, it is. I died and I anchored my spirit to this realm, to avoid forever being damned in Mayfil. I became spirit, and here I stand for all to see."

"But what are you doing here? In Ulara?"

"I wanted to see you." Shirley lied. She knew she couldn't reveal the truth to her. "What are _you _dong here Rose?" Shirley asked the mysterious woman.

"I came to see Charle. She said she had something to tell me that was really important." Rose said looking out across the horizon.

"Mind if I come to? I came to see you, so I'd like to accompany you." Shirley said sweetly.

"Sure Shirley." Rose turned around and walked along the pathways, Shirley floating close behind her. They reached a flower bed with plant like creatures that bit and snapped. They went passed these and they ran into a dead end with a green circle at the end. Rose kept going as though there was no dead end, Shirley trusting her companion followed her. Rose stepped on the green circle and a green sphere captured her and flew her off somewhere. Shirley did the same and a green sphere took hold of her and zoomed her off somewhere as well.

When she landed the green sphere dissipated and she found herself floating over an identical green circle on the floor. She saw Rose next to a wingly female talking. The wingly looked cheerful, Rose looked sad and resentful. Then again had she ever been cheerful? Shirley wondered. She approached the two and they both looked at her. Rose gave her a sad look, and Charle smiled brightly.

"Welcome Shirley. Rosie tells me you fought along side her in the Dragon Campaign. If your Rosie's friend you're my friend." She said happily. "Now Rose," Charle said turning to her, growing grave, "what I am about to tell you is true. So heed carefully to what I say. For every word is true. You both remember my brother Melbu?"

Rose nodded gravely and Shirley said "Yes". It was rather hard to forget the man who had enslaved the entire human race.

"Well, you both know the legend of the Divine tree? Soa descended a seed upon the earth, and from it grew a great tree. This tree grew fruits which in time fell from its branches filling the world with life." Charle explained. Gigantos were the 97th fruit, Minintos were the 99th, Dragons the 105th, Humans the 106th, and Winglies the 107th and supposed final fruit in Soa's vision for a beautiful world.

"Anyways, all these different races came from the fruits of this tree. But there was a 108th fruit, which was meant to fall and be born to destroy the world and purify it under the fate determined by Soa, the creator. From the 108th fruit was to be born The God of Destruction, who would purify the world. My little brother found out about it, and separated the flesh and the soul of the god. The flesh is The Moon That Never Sets, the moon that never moves, day or night. The soul, Melbu put into a gem which he kept with him at all times. You may know this gem as it is the one that gave Melbu nearly unlimited magical powers.

"But during the Dragon Campaign, the gem was broken, and the soul released. The soul would now try to get to it's flesh in order to be born and "purify" the world. However my little brother had a back up plan. He created signet spheres, which would keep the moon in the sky, there by keeping the soul and flesh apart. However, he also created the 3 moon objects to destroy the signet spheres should he need to, The Moon Gem, Moon Dagger, and the Moon Mirror. I advised him against it, but he did it anyways." She stared seriously at the both of them.

"Every hundred and eight years, the moon that never sets, or the flesh of the god, will glow red and a moon child will descend upon the earth. The moon child is the soul of the god. The soul will destroy the world and purify it under the fate determined by Soa. So, I cannot do it, as I am needed here. Shirley is pure spirit and could not do much to help. So it falls to you Rose. You will have to kill the moon child, and anyone they come in contact with every 108 years in order to save us all." Charle finished her tale with a dramatic sigh and looked at Rose sadly.

"But I am human; I will not even live long enough to kill the first moon child." She said.

"That is easily arranged. I have had this choker for ages and ages. It gives you immortality." And she pulled off a chain from where it rested on her neck. Un-clipping it from the back she held it out to Rose. It was a pretty plain choker,

It had a chain and a small ornament in the shape of a swan.

"Oh really Charle, a swan? That's not exactly for me." Rose said eyeing the choker flatly.

"Oh well…give it here then Rosie!" She said holding her hand out. Rose handed it over and watched as Charle held it in her left and tapped the swan ornament with her index finger. The metal molded into a circle with a slit in the middle, a Dragoon spirit. She tapped it again and it colored itself dark violet. She handed it back over to Rose smiling childishly.

"Thank you. It is much more suitable." Rose said looking vaguely into the distance. Shirley eyed her closely, but averted her gaze when Rose looked at her.

"So what's next for you Rose?" Shirley asked her seriously as they emerged from the green ball after teleporting from Charle's estate. "What will you do now, with the fate of the world resting on your shoulders?"

"I've no idea. The Moon Child won't be around for some odd 107 years. I'll have to make due until then. But what about you? Why are you still here in this world?"

"I've answered this already. I did not wish to languish in Mayfil." Shirley said evasively.

"Come now Shirley. You are not one to run away. You never have been. What are you really here for?" Shirley raised her chin defiantly and floated along silently. Rose sighed and continued walking. They reached the place where Shirley had appeared and said their goodbyes.

"Goodbye Shirley. Perhaps we'll see each other again some day."

"Perhaps." Rose turned around and began walking away. "Oh Rose," Rose turned back around looking curious. "you are free to sever the chains of fate that bind you." And she disappeared in a flash of light.


	7. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

She appeared in the Home of Giganto in a sudden burst of light. Luckily there were no Gigantos around the area she had appeared or there would have been a panic. She floated through the Home of Giganto, avoiding the Gigantos as much as she could. One glimpsed her though, a small Giganto child who ran away into his home. She left the Home of Giganto and kept going east, towards the shrine.

Ahead she knew a beautiful valley where she could rest. This Valley was where a battle was fought, not majorly important, but Damia's Vassal Dragon was killed here, along with many humans and Winglies alike. She entered the Valley and stood flabbergasted.

The Valley was completely changed. No more was it covered in beautiful grass and hills. Not even was it covered in blood. It was completely destroyed. The very rocks around the Valley floated in mid air, defying gravity. They flew to the left, right, up, down, everywhere. She continued floating through the destroyed Valley often gasping at the damage she found. _How interesting. The mixed powers of Dragoons, Dragons, and Winglies, can have devastating effects on their surrounding area it seems._

She left the corrupted Valley and wandered along, crossing through the barrens and avoiding most of Tiberoa. She kept going and entered southern Serdio. Traversing through a mountain and a forest or two, she reached the shrine. Entering the door frame and crossing the small bridge she came to the sun dial. Un-able to turn the dials she merely floated up to the opening in the wall where the ladder would have fallen from, had she floated through.

She floated up the steps with the two statues stood at the base of them. The left silver and the right gold. After reaching the top Shirley kept floating all the way into the back room full of treasure. She found Drake in his cot, snoring away. Smiling at him she let him sleep, and watched him, her face expressionless. He awoke with a start and gripped his dagger swigging it around madly

"What the hell-? Shirley!" He said looking over at her startled. "Your back! Where did you go?" He demanded.

"Now is not the time Drake, nor the place." He flustered about, mouth forming words though they didn't quite make it out.

"I-you-what…" Shirley smiled at his flustered face and actions, as a teacher smiles at a small child when they think they've outwitted them.

"All right." Drake said, miserably looking away and then staring at Shirley as though he expected her to burst into flames at any moment. Shirley looked at him and he quickly hid them behind a mask of thoughtfulness and looked away.

"Something wrong?" Shirley asked gently, smiling sweetly. She seemed amused.

"No, no." Drake said hurriedly. "Nothing is wrong, I just wanted to know what happened next in your story. You know the one you were talking about before you…left." He said the last word oddly, as though he had suddenly lost his voice and was straining to get out words.

"Oh yes." Shirley said slightly alarmed by this fact. "Where did I leave off?" she asked more to herself then to Drake.

"I don't know." He said. "You had fallen asleep in your tower after training in the courtyard…"

"Oh yes. Well I awoke next morning…"

Shirley opened her eyes slowly. The silver drapes from her bed billowing over her face from the wind coming from the open window. Lifting herself up, and gracefully walking down the steps. She went to a rack holding a set of clothes, which she out on. She also put on over top of these, her Silver-white armor, grabbed her Dragoon Spirit from the pedestal where it lay in wait, took her bow from its corner and equipped her quiver, slinging it over her head, and walked out the door. She looked around the landscape and spotted Bel'zac and Syuveil going down the steps leading to the area of Vellweb to which you could reach anywhere in the city.

Shirley hurried after them, jumping the last few steps. She turned a corner and nearly collided with a disgruntled Syuveil. He had his arms crossed and he looked slightly affronted, but Bel'zac looked as calm as he always did.

"Diaz requested our presence. He has grave, yet important news." Bel'zac said. "'Something of the utmost importance.'" Syuveil led the way down the spiral staircase. But instead of proceeding to Diaz's quarters, as Shirley was used to, Syuveil made an early left turn. Shirley and Bel'zac followed him in.

They entered a plain room with a table in the middle. Around the table were 8 chairs, two at each head and three on either side. The one at the front was beautifully made, fit for a king. Diaz sat in this chair. To his left, there were three chairs. A strip of red at the top of the first chair, Which Zeig occupied, A strip of black on the next, unoccupied. And the third had a strip of green which Syuveil walked over to and sat in. On Diaz's right, another three chairs sat. The first golden brown which Bel'zac walked over to and sat. Beside this one, a Silver-white strip on the top sat. Bel'zac indicated to it and Shirley sat hesitantly. She looked beside her and saw the next chair had a strip of blue at the top. She glanced at the chair across from Diaz and saw that it had a violet strip on the top.

"Welcome Dragoons." Diaz said to the four Dragoons scattered about the table. "I have just received a standards report from Fort Magrad. Our standing forces are made up of cavalry, foot soldiers, pikemen, archers, and horse archers. Anyways our standing forces consist of some odd 200 000 warriors. The Winglies however, have roughly 500 000. In short gentlemen, and lady," he added nodding to Shirley, "we need more men," he finished.

"Then we should get recruiting. The Dragoons are a powerful ally, and a sign of hope for the entire human race," Syuveil said "And if-"Shirley, seeing where he was going with this, jumped in and finished sentence.

"If we show ourselves, and offer an opportunity to become the other three Dragoons," here she gestured to the three empty seats around the table, the one in between Zeig and Syuveil, the one beside her, and the one opposite from Diaz. "Then we will indeed get more recruits. A chance, however slim, to become, or even fight along side Dragoons is a powerful urge, and a useful experience." She smiled at her statement. All four men around the table nodded appreciatively.

"You are indeed right Shirley. Many would join us as a chance to become and fight along side you Dragoons." Diaz said, putting on a thoughtful face "Hmm…very well. Each of you will visit a human settlement and help gain recruits. Lead them back here, on foot if you please. And we will get them fitted and prepared for battle. Please be civil," he warned, shooting a furtive glance at Zeig. Shirley guessed he'd been in trouble more then once for being uncivilized. She guessed this partly because of Diaz's look, but also because all three male Dragoons grinned, and Syuveil and Bel'zac looked at Zeig, smiling.

"Very well." Diaz said again. "Zeig, head to the Serdian area, there isn't any big castle there as it is a recently started human nation. But you may be able to convince some on the outlying settlements to join us. Bel'zac go to Tiberoa. Syuveil, Mille Sesaeau. Shirley you will go to Rouge. Do you know where that is?"

"Um…" Shirley said uncertainly. "Endiness?" Diaz laughed.

"Well yes. But it is here." He had pulled out a map from a dusty shelf and un-rolled it on the table. He pointed to a small island in the western sea. "It is a small fishing village. But even there the Winglies tyranny has struck. You may find some willing to join us. You three," he gestured to Zeig, Syuveil, and Bel'zac, "get going. You're areas are farther then Rouge." They obliged, sinking to one knee and leaving through the door.

"Alright Shirley, you know where your going." Shirley nodded and Diaz told her to leave. She bowed and left. Climbing up the spiral staircase and going to the nearest open place in Vellweb, she transformed the power of the White-Silver Dragon coursing through her. The light dissipated, and Shirley flexed her wings experimentally. Satisfied, she took off in the direction of Rouge. Flying over the ocean she felt odd. It was a beautiful sight but the water always made her uneasy. She flew over it anyways and spotted a small village on the coast line of a small island. Landing on a balcony made of poorly constructed wood and house. She transformed and walked down wooden steps nailed together roughly. The entire town seemed to be made of bamboo and poorly nailed together trees. Shirley was unconsciously afraid the entire thing would collapse. She walked through the village and felt awkward as the villagers stared at her. Maybe they'd never seen a warrior so armored? _Or maybe_, Shirley thought, _they've never seen a woman so armored._

She walked along, up and down some more wooden stairs, until she was out of the village. She followed a road up to a platform about 50ft up. She walked up the hill and up the ladder. Leaning casually on the railing, she watched as a red headed man with a beard the same color instructed some younger students in some martial arts form. The man noticed her and walked over. Saying; "What the hell is a woman doing in armor like that? You should be at home cleaning and looking after young children!" He exclaimed. This man was seriously unbalanced. He was positively yelling.

"I am here to find recruits for the Dragon Campaign." Shirley said calmly.

"Dragon Campaign? You?" he laughed hysterically. "You cannot possibly. You are a woman!" Laughing hysterically he turned his back on her and went back to his students. He pointed to one, a young man of about 20. "You," the man said, "let us fight and we'll see if you have learned." The young man bowed to his master and took his fighting stance. The master did the same, but his bow was higher. Each waited for the other to strike first; it seemed more like a staring match then a fight. Suddenly the younger man rushed forwards, his right hand behind him and he swung it round at his master. With great speed the older man blocked it, and punched him in the stomach. "You leave yourself open to attack." The younger man bowed again and readied himself. This time the master rushed forward, aiming a roundhouse kick to the man's head. The younger man ducked this and rushed forwards fists raised. The master sidestepped and side kicked him as he went by. The younger man went flying off the platform and into the sea.

"You had better get a lot more powerful then that! You are _weak!_" The man yelled down to the sea. He turned back to Shirley and glared at her.

"What do you want?" He growled.

"As I have told you before, I am looking for recruits to join the Dragon Campaign. And I would very much like it if you would join us." Shirley said to him. "By the way, my names Shirley. What's yours?" He seemed to be thinking quickly and deeply.

"Kanzas." He grumbled.

"Well Kanzas, would you like to accompany me to Vellweb now?" Shirley said pleasantly.

"Vellweb?"

"Yes." Shirley replied.

"Isn't that on the other side of the sea?" Kanzas asked gruffly.

"Yes…I suppose it is." Shirley said, slightly confused. "So?"

"So," Kanzas said angrily, "how the hell do you expect to get there? I didn't see a boat come in, did you?"

"Oh that is easily resolved. I'll be flying you over the sea." Shirley said sweetly, smiling widely.

"Flying me over?" Kanzas repeated dully. Shirley rolled her eyes, and transformed into a Dragoon. The power of the White-Silver Dragon engulfed her, and when the white light dissipated, she was a Dragoon, Kanzas' eyes widened in shock.

"What are you?" He exclaimed.

"That will all be explained if you allow me to fly you over." Shirley saw the cog wheels turning in his mind. Surely she couldn't fly him over a _sea_? Then again perhaps she could. But the problem wasn't whether or not she _could._ Kanzas just didn't want to be flown over, especially by a woman.

"I won't allow it. I won't have a woman fly me over the sea! No chance in hell!"

"Then you'll wait for four weeks for a boat to arrive?"

"Yes! I'll not have a woman fly me over!" Kanzas yelled loudly. Passers by were starting to stare.

"Oh I completely understand." Shirley said sweetly, and then punched him in the face, knocking him unconscious.

"You punched him in the face?" Diaz exclaimed a few hours later in the meeting room. Kanzas had been dropped off in a spare room for the night.

"Yes." Shirley replied embarrassed.

"And yet you didn't fly the rest of the volunteers over the sea. Why did you feel this particular man was of greater use?" Shirley looked away, embarrassed. She didn't want to say that she'd sensed a kind of aura around him, dark, but powerful, and thought he would be of great use.

"I-"Shirley faltered, then regained herself. "I-he is a master of a martial art, and very talented. I thought he would be of great benefit."

"Mmm…" Diaz replied thoughtfully. "Very well. Where is the man?"

"Bel'zac gave him lodgings in one of the soldier encampments." Diaz thought for a moment, strong hands stroking his beard thoughtfully.

"Very well. Fetch him would you Syuveil?" Syuveil went down on one knee, right hand over his heart, and left. Through the crack in the door, Shirley glimpsed a blinding green light.

Minutes passed and Syuveil opened the door, Kanzas strutting along behind him. Syuveil looked miserable and angry.

"Was a hassle trying to get him over here I can tell you." He muttered as he walked past Shirley and sat in his chair with the green stripe across the top.

"Warrior," Diaz said spreading his arms out in welcome. "Welcome. What is your name?"

"Kanzas." He muttered. Zeig's face was full of anger.

"Speak clearly when you address the Emperor!" he raged.

"It's alright Zeig, although I didn't quite catch that sir." Diaz said smiling. Shirley knew, however, his patience was wearing thin.

"Kanzas." He said louder this time.  
"Kanzas." Diaz repeated, looking troubled. "Kanzas…" he muttered again. "Hmph! Welcome to the meeting room. I hear from Shirley you wish to join the Dragon Campaign?"

"Yes." Kanzas said, looking at his feet.

"Alright then. There is a small test we must put you through. Physical exam you know, to make sure your not some foolhardy suicidal person of course. Oh and naturally there's the other test, which will be administered after the physical exam, yes." He said seeming flustered.

"Fine." Kanzas grumbled. Zeig leaned over to Diaz and muttered something in his ear. Diaz's face hardened for a moment and he nodded.

"Alright. Zeig has agreed to take you through the physical exam. Then, if you have met the required level of skill, we will take you through the next test."

"Which is?" Kanzas said sharply. Diaz refused to answer, but gave him a small wink.

"Come on." Zeig growled. Kanzas, Syuveil, Bel'zac, and Shirley all followed him out.

"Erm, Shirley." Came a voice from behind her. She turned around and it was Diaz. "May I see you for a moment?" Shirley walked over and leant against the table ledge, completely perplexed at to what it was Diaz could want with her.

"About Kanzas…" Shirley groaned internally. He wanted to know why she'd brought him. She didn't really know herself. She'd just walked up to him, and immediately sensed…._something._ A….presence, a dark presence. Dark or not, it had been very powerful. "Why _did _you bring him?"

"Well…" Shirley began. Did she want to tell him? She couldn't figure out a reason not to, and so she told him how she'd sensed a dark presence about Kanzas.

"Hmm….I've never heard, in lore nor legend, about a dark presence inhabiting a body, nor being able to _sense _anything. This is indeed an odd conundrum. But…you sensed a…a _dark _presence did you?"

"Absolutely." Shirley replied without a single doubt in her mind.

"Hmm…this is a problem. I would prefer not to have anyone with a "dark presence" in our capital. After the physical exam, you'll tell him he isn't what we want and send him on his way." Shirley felt guilty for bringing Kanzas all the way here, and then sending him back. But she knew it was the best thing. After all anyone with a "dark presence" about them can't be good news.

"Very well. I will go to the practice area and observe. And afterwards send him on his way." She knelt and left. Walking quickly up the stairs, and leaving the stairway she looked to the left, and saw the stairs leading up to the Dragoon towers. Walking down the stairs in front of her, Shirley saw the arrow shooter Zeig had showed her. Walking passed this she proceeded to the practice area.

As she approached, she saw Kanzas go flying out of a rock patch. Zeig walking out proudly, sword in hand. He flicked it up to Kanzas' neck and he was defeated. Kanzas was panting loudly and he glared at Zeig.

"Hmm…..not bad for someone without a weapon. You have passed." Though he didn't seem at all pleased about it. "If you'll follow me we'll administer the second test. Though it is unlikely you will pass we'll-"

"Em Zeig? Can I see you for a moment?" Shirley asked him. Zeig jogged over to her.

"What Shirley?"

"Diaz doesn't want him. He doesn't…er…want him in the Dragon Campaign at all. We're to send him on his way." Zeig smiled gleefully at the thought of the grouchy annoying man leaving.

"You. What was your name?" Zeig snapped at Kanzas.

"Kanzas."

"Right, right. Yeah you're not what we want. So er…bye then." And Zeig walked away. Shirley looked at Kanzas' face, contorted with fury. Whilst Kanzas' expression of pure outrage, was perfectly predictable, why did Zeig look just as equally unhappy?  
"Aaaahhhh!!" Kanzas had charged Zeig from behind. Zeig moved out of the way drawing his sword at the same time. They began to fight, Shirley ran forwards to stop them, but Kanzas pushed her away, and a group of cheering men cut her off from the pair.

"Oh this is insane!" She muttered under breath. Though she could hardly hear it over the chanting. The fighting went on for a minute or two when a commanding voice yelled; "Stop!"

Shirley turned around wildly and saw Emperor Diaz on a rock ledge, his face contorted with anger.

"You are behaving like a pack of rabid dogs, fighting over a scrap of meat! Both of you come here, _now!_" Zeig and Kanzas walked up the ledge to Diaz glaring at each other.

"You are both behaving like barbaric ingrates!" Zeig opened his mouth to say something but Diaz cut across him.

"I don't want to hear it Feld. Both of you will-" But he stopped talking when his chest began glowing violet. Shirley was completely dumb struck. Diaz the Thunder Dragoon? How was it possible? Why hadn't it shown itself before now? But the light was moving. Moving away from Diaz and to…

"Kanzas!" Shirley said, a bit too loudly then she had intended.

"Wha-?" Kanzas began.

"Aha! It seems we have found another Dragoon!" Diaz said gleefully.

"A what?" Kanzas replied dully. Zeig rolled his eyes, and whispered something to Diaz. Diaz looked reproachfully to Zeig and muttered something back.

"Come! We have only two more Dragoons yet to find before we can really start winning this war!" He laughed gleefully, almost like a little boy. "Zeig show the man his room. And you," He pointed at a nearby soldier. "Alert the chefs that tonight we shall have a grand banquet. There will be wine! Beer! Food and festivities. Go! Now!" The soldiers departed cheering, and Zeig grudgingly lead a confused Kanzas to his tower.

Shirley, preferring to let the two men continue disliking each other retreated to her own tower and hang out until the feast. After about half an hour of solitude during which Shirley glanced through a couple of ancient texts, there was a knock on her door frame and Bel'zac's huge silhouette stood in her doorway.

"Hi." He said, seeming slightly embarrassed.

"Hello." Shirley said back, not understanding why he seemed embarrassed.

"Umm…" he said dully.

"D'you know when the feast starts?" Shirley asked him swiftly, trying to avoid any awkwardness.

"In a couple hours I think." _Hm….a couple hours? What on Endiness will I do in that amount of time? _

"Oh okay. I'll probably end up going to sleep. There isn't much to do around here. In my village there was always something to be doing. Chopping wood, cleaning. Always something. But here, as a Dragoon, there isn't much I can do."

"Well sure there is! You could practice your magic."

"My….what?" Bel'zac seemed confused.

"Did Zeig not tell you? Each Dragoon has magic based upon their element." Shirley was confused.

"I can do….magic?"

"Yes! " Bel'zac said, growing impatient now. "Oh I'll never be able to explain. Come!" he took her by the hand and led her to an area of Vellweb Shirley didn't even know existed until now. It was a big square room, under the towers.

"This," Bel'zac said. "Is the Dragoon's special training center. We use it to practice in our Dragoon forms as it would be rather unwise to transform in front of the soldiers. Diaz says we should avoid it if we can. So we have this area here."

"I see." Shirley said, though it was a lie.

"Well Shirley. Shall we begin?" Bel'zac asked her. Shirley answered only by transforming into a Dragoon and flying ten feet into the air, bow drawn and ready. Bel'zac grinned, turned into a Dragoon himself, and flew up to the same level as Shirley.

He nodded and flew at her, axe raised. He swung at her and she flew out of the way. He chased after her, the two flying all over the room. Bel'zac attacking and Shirley evading.

"Come on Shirley. You have to attack some time." He said has he charged her.

"Very well." She replied curtly. She sidestepped, drew an arrow and fired it at his back. His Dragoon armor stopped the blow from killing him, but he would have a bruise later on. He grunted and turned to face her, grinning. Shirley didn't know why he was grinning. It didn't make sense really. He dropped to the ground sharply, folding in his wings. The room shook has he landed.

Bringing his axe over his head, he swung it down at the ground. It impacted with a crash. Bringing it back up, he swung it to his right, retaining his ready stance. He brought his right hand in front of his face, closing it into a fist, which began to glow golden brown. Shirley, unsure what was happening, warily flew a bit farther away from him.

After a few moments of his hand glowing, a great golden brown flash came from just above Shirley's head and she quickly moved out of the way. Not a moment too late. A giant rock fell towards the floor. Bel'zac, obviously not wanting to damage the floor, clapped his hands together with a thunderous noise, and the rock imploded into a million smaller rocks. Shirley covered her face with her hands.

While she hand been covering her face, Bel'zac had been flying towards her rapidly. He grabbed her two arms and swung her around and she nearly collided with a wall, before she braked in midair. Shirley was growing angry now. He was beating her so easily. She wasn't going to allow that. She delved deep into herself as she had done the first time she transformed into a Dragoon. She found the usually power she used to transform but she sought something else. Going deeper still she found something else and excitedly dug into it.

She looked down at her hands, they were glowing silver. Experimentaly, she pulled back on her bow as if she had drawn an arrow, though she hadn't, and was surprised when a silver arrow seemed to be made of pure energy was nocked on her bow. Not knowing what it would do, she aimed away from Bel'zac, who was staring at her oddly from across the room. Shirley fired the arrow a good ten feet over his head, and was astonished when it exploded in a blinding flash of silver white light. In addition, it reigned down little patches of lights that seemed to be hurting Bel'zac. Who instead of taking it, slammed his axe on the ground and was engulfed by a huge rock, which swallowed him up.

After the lights had stopped falling, he broke through the rock and flew over to Shirley worriedly.

"What was-?" Shirley began.

"Magic," Bel'zac answered. "More powerful then ever I have seen. It seems your extremely powerful. Perhaps even more then Syuveil. Hmm….this is most interesting. We should return to the towers though, the feast will soon be beginning."

"So…" Shirley said confused. "Is it good or bad that I am so powerful?"

"Neither it is." Bel'zac replied, laughing. "But I must warn you. It is quite possible your powers will keep increasing until they go beyond your control. Either way, this is only the beginning for you."


	8. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"So…you were the most powerful Dragoon of them all?" Drake asked her.

"No. In magic I was. Or rather, for a time I was. Damia was the most powerful magic user and she was only fifteen too."

"Damia? Who's Damia?"

"Hmm? Oh, Damia was the Blue Sea Dragoon. Water based. She was only fifteen at the time."

"Fifteen? Isn't that a bit young for a woman to be fighting in a war? And to be managing the powers of a Dragoon isn't that a bit hard?"

"Well normally yes. But Damia was born between a human and a mermaid, and so she had a special power. Also because of this, she was shunted all her young life and hated by humans and mermaids alike. One day when I was wandering around Fort Magrad she stumbled in through the doorway, nearly dead."

"And then what happened?"

"Don't get ahead of the story now!" Shirley scolded. But she was laughing. "Well I was wandering around Vellweb and got bored of the boring landscape, and so decided to visit Fort Magrad…."

Shirley surveyed the snowy landscape below her without much interest in it, snow as only so interesting if you know what I mean. She flew over Fort Magrad, looking for a place to land. She ended up landing in a circle area, there were people all over the fort, and Shirley had a hard time finding somewhere to land.

After she did she walked around the fort. She visited the armory, the refugee encampments, she walked around the fort some more and decided she should go and see the surrounding area as well. She began walking to the front gates. As she passed human families she felt a pang of sorrow and pity. They lived in such sadness and discomfort. Whilst she was cooped up in her luxurious tower complaining that there was nothing to do.

She began telling herself she'd prefer this life, the poor, struggling young girl, as opposed to a legendary symbol of power for the entire human race. Walking past a stand of armor and swords Shirley reached a small tower. Looking up into the window, Shirley saw an old man withdraw his head sharply as she looked at him. Curious she walked over to the door, knocked on it, and waited.

When no one answered, Shirley shrugged and continued on towards the front doors. After walking a good half hour, Shirley reached the front gates to find them closed. And the guard completely inept. Not to mention a complete asshole, and insisted that no one be aloud out of Fort Magrad until it was safe. Wild animals were savage apparently.

Well naturally Shirley wasn't having any of that. Transforming into a Dragoon she insisted that the gate be opened immediately. Again, the guard refused her. She was about to just fly over the stupid wall, when she heard something. An agonized groan. Coming from the other side of the gate. Forgetting the in-cooperative guard completely, Shirley hurtled herself over the gate, and looked about for the source of the noise.

She didn't have to look long. After a minute or two, another groan came and Shirley flew in that direction. After a minute of searching she came across a small, snow filled clearing. And in the middle of the clearing, a blood stained young girl, dressed completely in a blue little dress. Though it wasn't so pretty anymore, the dress was ragged with travel, and blood and dirt stained its features.

The girl herself didn't look entirely human, Shirley noticed. Sure it had the body of a human, but the girls face…it was too pretty to be human. And there seemed to be some sort of small blue coral growing on it. Rushing over to her, Shirley noticed she had gashes and wounds all over her, and she was completely exhausted.

"Hello. My name is Shirley. I am going to get you some help." She girl mumbled a response Shirley couldn't quite make out. Picking her up, Shirley was surprised at how incredibly light she was. She flew her over to Fort Magrad, where the two were immediately surrounded by soldiers and concerned woman.

Ushering them all out of the way, Shirley made her way to the soldier's encampment. She was planning on healing the girl herself, but she didn't want too many people around to notice it. Shirley brought her to an empty soldier's tent and lay her down on the soft floor.

The girl was gasping a spluttering. Shirley got a few words like "Not wanted." And "Hated." The girl wasn't making any sense at all. Concerned, Shirley brought her right hand to a wound on the girl's side. Using her newly discovered magic, the wound healed, as both hand and wound glowed silver white. Shirley continued in this fashion until all the girl's wounds were healed.

After she had completed her work, Shirley decided to fly her to Vellweb and tell Emperor Diaz about her. Picking the girl up easily, after all she was so light, Shirley began flapping her wings in the direction of Vellweb. The girl had lost consciousness a while ago, and it was a fairly easy trip.

Shirley landed right in front of the giant arrow launcher, and began running with the girl up the steps. She'd drop her off in Shirley's room, and then find Diaz. As she took the girl up the stairs, she ran into Syuveil.

"Shirley where have you- who is- Shirley what-?"

"Find Diaz and bring him to the meeting room. The other Dragoons too Syuveil." Syuveil looked at her questioningly, but proceeded down the stairs after Diaz anyways. Shirley dropped the girl off in her room, gently lying her on her bed and then closing the drapes, and then ran down to the meeting room, taking the steps two at a time.

When she opened the door to the meeting room, she was glad to see that Syuveil had obliged to her request, and all four male Dragoons, and Diaz, sat in their respective seats. Diaz sat at the head of the table looking thoughtful and worried as Shirley walked in, Zeig, who sat on his left was looking at the fireplace, his face unreadable. An empty chair separated Zeig and Syuveil. Syuveil was looking thoughtfully at the ceiling, obviously thinking of his precious scrolls. Kanzas, who sat across from Diaz, was glaring at anyone and everyone. Bel'zac on Diaz's right, was looking genuinely happy, and smiled at Shirley when she entered.

Shirley took her seat beside Bel'zac, and looked sadly at the empty seat across from her. As soon as Shirley sat down, Diaz jumped right into it.

"What happened Shirley?" He questioned immediately. Shirley recounted how she'd gone to Fort Magrad to look around. She told them about the old man in the tower, at this, Zeig laughed. "Zoel is an extremely old person who locks himself in his tower perfecting his magic. You would do best to leave him be." Shirley continued on and told the five men about the in-cooperative guard, and how she heard the moaning. Then quickly told them about how she healed the girl, and how she now rested in her tower.

"Any idea what did it to the girl?" Zeig asked.

"Not at all. She was in no condition to tell me anything, even when she was conscious. She kept muttering odd things like 'They hate me.' And 'Not wanted.' Things like that."

"Hmm…" Zeig said. "It seems wherever she came from, she wasn't too popular."

"That's not the point." Diaz replied, scolding him. "What we should find out is where she came from, how she got those wounds, and why she came to Fort Magrad of all places. You said, Shirley, that she didn't look like any human you'd ever seen? That she had some sort of coral growing on her face and had sea blue hair?" Shirley nodded. "Well it seems to me that there _is_ no human like that. My thoughts are that she is in fact a Wingly spy." Syuveil was shocked.

"You can't be certain. She could just be a traveler. Or had her hair dyed. We don't know!"

"I agree with Syuveil." Shirley said. Once upon a time she would have been afraid to voice her opinions, but she had grown accustomed to it. "We don't know. Let me talk to the girl when she regains consciousness. I can find out why she came her, and what she is exactly. Before we do anything drastic." Diaz considered it. It was the logical thing to do. If she was indeed a wingly spy find out what she knows before terminating her. Or if she wasn't a spy, you add another warrior to your ranks, while looking good natured. It was a win-win situation.

"Very well." Diaz said. "Question her. Find out why she's here, who she is, what she is, and how she got here. I want to know everything. I'll call a meeting when we find out. Dismissed."

Shirley left the meeting room with Bel'zac and Zeig. Syuveil had immediately flown up to his room, and Kanzas had stalked off to his own room before Shirley could even talk to him. As Shirley left to go to her own tower, where the girl was, Zeig held her back for a moment and whispered in her ear; "Tell me what she says." Shirley looked at him and nodded once. He departed with Bel'zac to the training area and Shirley walked up the steps to her own tower.

She entered the doorway to find the girl looking through her drawers in her desk. When she entered, the young girl jumped and quickly closed the drawer.

"It's alright." Shirley said soothingly. "Your in an unknown area, curiosity is not a sin." The girl looked at her wide eyed. Eyes darting from Shirley, to the door behind her, to the open window above the bed, as if she wanted nothing more then escape. "I don't want to harm you. You were injured and I healed you and brought you here. There is nothing to be afraid of. What is your name?"

"D-Damia." She muttered.

"Damia." Shirley repeated, smiling. "What a beautiful name. What happened to you? You were crawling outside the front gate completely bloodstained and exhausted." Damia hesitated before answering.

"I-I'm part mermaid, and part human." She said.

_That makes sense,_ Shirley thought. "And all my life I have been hated by both humans and mermaids, because of who I am. Three days ago, I wandered into a human encampment. They remembered me from when I was there last time, and attacked me and drove me out of their village. I had heard of the Dragon Campaign and made my way here."

"I see." Shirley said. "But why come here? Do you wish to fight in the war?"

"Not really. I just needed somewhere to stay for a while."

"I see." Shirley said again. "But wandering around the wild with no weapon is dangerous."

"Oh no I have a weapon." Damia said, and then looked sad. "Or I did. But I lost it when I was fleeing from the humans. It was my favorite hammer too."

"Oh we have tons of those in the armory if you want."

"Oh really!?" Damia replied excitedly. "Definitely! Let's go now!" Shirley led her out of her tower and down the steps. Damia jumped them, laughing and twirling around. Shirley couldn't help but smile. They descended the stairs and headed to the armory. Oldel greeted them gruffly.

"Hello little lady." He said to Shirley. "And hello littler lady." He said to Damia, who was bouncing about the armory. "What can I do ye for?"

"We need a hammer Oldel." Shirley said. "A nice big one for Damia here."

"Well I think I have…or maybe not…I don't know. Hmm let me check in the back." He stumbled off into a back room, and came back ten seconds later with a beautiful blue hammer. "Your lucky girlie. Last one I had." He handed it over to Damia who took it wide eyed. She looked at it for a split second before bringing it down roughly on Oldel's head. Not enough to kill him, but enough to knock him unconscious and give him a headache when he awakes.

"Don't ever call me girlie!" She yelled at his unconscious form. Smiling childishly she left with the hammer resting on her shoulder. Shirley looking at her, stunned.

"Come on. Diaz will want to meet you." Shirley said, still stunned at Damia's actions, and leading her down to the meeting room. They entered and everyone was sitting in their respective seats. Shirley sat in hers and patted the one next to her. Damia sat, reluctantly.

"So." Diaz said to Damia getting straight into it. "What is your name?"

"Damia." She replied.

"And you're here why?" He said rather aggressively.

"To heal up. I only want to stay here for a while, and then I'll be out of here for good."

"Hmph." Diaz said. "In the mean time you can stay in the soldiers area."

"Oh no." Damia said with a scared expression on her face. "No I don't want to be any where near the soldiers." Shirley noticed how sad and scared she was. She looked at Shirley quickly. Shirley felt sad for her, and sympathized.

"It's alright Damia. You can stay in my tower for your duration here." Shirley said with a smile, which Damia returned hundred times brighter.

"Shirley! What the bleeding hell! Let the little whore sleep with the soldiers!" Kanzas yelled.

"Kanzas that is quite enough!" Syuveil said back.

"Little tramp can just-"

"Shut up Kanzas!" Zeig yelled across the table at him. Kanzas looked like he was going to responded but appeared to decide better of it. Diaz nodded.

"Alright then. Damia you'll stay with Shirley while your here." He said.

Shirley smiled at Damia beside her and indicated they should leave. They walked to Shirley's tower together, talking about Dragoons.

"So you guys are like Dragons?" Damia asked eagerly.

"Not entirely." Shirley said laughing. "We use these Dragoon _spirits,_" She held up her own spirit. "To transform into Dragoons, or Dragon Knights."

"But…how did you get these spirits?" Damia asked interested.

"Hmm? Oh you have to kill a Dragon. Once you do, the soul of that Dragon, morphs into these Dragoon Spirits. Also, when you kill it, a small Vassal Dragon is born, which only the Dragoon can control."

"Oh. So…to be a Dragoon you have to kill these Dragons?"

"Yes. And their soul turns into this," she held up the Dragoon Spirit again.

"Oh I get it. So there's Earth, who's opposite is Water and then-"

"No, no." Shirley laughed. "Earth and Wind are opposites. If a Wind based magician attacks an Earth based magician it will have much more effect then if he attacked say a water magician."

"Oh." Damia said confused. "So there is Earth and Wind. Darkness and Light. Lightning and..." She looked at Shirley who shook her head. "And no one. And then Fire and Water…right?" Damia said looking up at Shirley.

"Yes." Shirley said smiling. They had reached the steps leading up to the seven towers and Shirley led the way, Damia following close behind. Shirley took a left and the two walked towards her tower.

"So…I saw the red one. Fire right?" Shirley nodded. "And the big one, and the one with the glasses, then the one who glared at me looking all angry. I mean what's his problem?"

"Oh don't mind Kanzas. He usually keeps to himself and when it is essential he be around, he glares at all of us. It is how he treats everyone."

"Oh. Well that's not very nice! So…there's Light and Darkness too?" Again, Shirley nodded. "So where's Darkness?" Damia said looking confused again.

"We haven't yet killed the Darkness Dragon. He is proving to be much more powerful then we had first thought. Also we have no one to be the Darkness Dragoon. So we are waiting for the right person."

"Oh okay." Damia said again. Then she realized something else. "What about the Water Dragoon? I didn't see them!"

"Oh yes, that. Well the Water Dragoon needs to be someone special, someone who can handle the immense magical powers of the Water Element. You see, the Water Dragon, is the most powerful _magical_ Dragon. So if we are to make a Dragoon from it, they must be able to cope with the powerful magic."

"But I could do it!" Shirley looked doubtfully at the fifteen year old girl in front of her. Sure she was sparky, and energetic, and skilled with a hammer, but a Dragoon? "Sure I could! I'm half mermaid remember? I can already do basic Water based magic! It should be a breeze for me to be the Water Dragoon!" Shirley was still un-sure when Zeig walked out form his tower.

"What's this I hear?"

"I could be the Water Dragoon!" Damia burst out, unable to contain herself.

"You?" Zeig said looking at her skeptically.

"But I could!" Damia whined. "Because I'm half mermaid I can already do basic Water based magic! I could do it!" Damia looked from Zeig, to Shirley. Zeig looked skeptical, but Shirley was beginning to see why Damia would make the perfect Water Dragoon. She wore only Sea Blue clothes, meaning her favorite color was Sea Blue. She was half mermaid; mermaids were creatures of the Sea. She could already do Water based magic. And was exuberant and head strong to boot.

"No. I think she'd be good Zeig." Shirley said as she caught his skeptical look. "We should-"

"Zeig!" Syuveil screamed as he bounded up the steps to the seven towers. He reached them completely out of breath. Shirley noticed that his spear was bloody.

"Zeig!" He said again. "The Winglies are attacking Fort Magrad. We have to go there now!" Zeig and Shirley wasted no time, and transformed immediately.

"No fair!" Damia whined. "I want to go too!"

"I am sorry Damia." Zeig said. "War is no place for a fifteen year old. And none of us can afford to bear you as a burden. You should just stay here until we get back." And he flew off with Syuveil in the direction of Fort Magrad.

She saw Damia pout as her head dropped down. Shirley took off, hovering a foot off the ground and flew right at Damia, picking her up, and setting course for Fort Magrad.


	9. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Shirley looked down at the battle below her. The Winglies had attacked without warning and were now half way through the city. Zeig and Syuveil had gotten there before her, and had already engaged in the battle. Shirley flew high above the battle with Damia in her arms.

Flying down to battle level, Shirley dropped Damia off beside Bel'zac, whom she trusted would look after the child. He had always loved children, and if it came down to it, would probably die for one. Damia leapt into action straight away, grabbing her hammer and smashing any Wingly who got in her way. On the odd occasion she'd send a jet of water flying at her enemies, or razor sharp giant icicle. Shirley surveyed her with wonder. Not even a Dragoon and already more skilled in magic then she was.

Shirley stayed fifty feet above the battle on the ground, feeling that she would be more help in the battle in the air. She could fire arrows at Winglies beneath her, and still be able to kill Winglies flying in the air, on their wings of magic.

A Wingly charged her. She'd never been in a real battle before, Shirley grew a little worried as the Wingly charged her, her sword raised ready to rend the flesh from Shirley's bones. The Wingly was getting closer; Shirley nocked an arrow, charged it with light energy, and let it loose at the Wingly. She blocked it with a magical shield. Shirley tried again, but the same outcome came to her. The Wingly just kept blocking them with magic.

When Shirley thought she'd never kill it, she had a brainwave. A magical shield only blocked magical projectiles and attacks. So a physical attack should do the trick. But Shirley wasn't much good at fist fighting or sword play at all. Plus she was only armed with her bow.

_What if I just shot a regular arrow? That isn't magical._

Shirley nocked an arrow, pulled back, and fired at the charging Wingly. She tried to block it with a magical barrier but the arrow went right through and struck her in the chest. Shirley was half satisfied that she'd killed it, and half sad. The Wingly was only following orders after all.

Burying her sadness she flew down to the ground battle, and landed behind a line of archers. And in front of them was a line of soldiers carrying humongous shields to protect from Wingly arrows and magic.

The archers loaded arrows, pulled back, and fired at a charging army of Winglies. Shirley added her own special arrow to the deadly volley, as the arrows started to impact the Winglies, the entire battle field looked in that direction as a great blinding flash of white light, and a great sound similar to thunder, came from there. Shirley watched as the very same magical attack she'd used on Bel'zac took its toll. Great huge balls of light were falling from the middle of the explosion area. Below, Winglies covered their heads with their shields, or hands.

Holding back a self satisfied grin, Shirley ordered the soldiers with the shields to move forward, hunched down to protect the archers from any unwanted projectiles. Slowly Shirley's small army moved forward, when they met a Wingly or two, she'd order a halt, and the archers would all fire. It was a nearly fool proof plan. After her archers finished shooting five or six Winglies who had been foolish enough to charge them, Shirley continued her march.

They'd nearly cleared out the city. Shirley trusted the rest of the Dragoons to take care of the Winglies in the air. She looked up to see how that front was progressing. And what she saw wasn't good. The Winglies were gaining ground on the Dragoons and their Vassal Dragons. Shirley's own Vassal Dragon was healing Zeig's when a magical flame hit it in the side. Shirley winced as she heard her Dragon roar. Anger coursed through her, and she ordered a Captain in the line to take control and flush out what remained of the Winglies on the ground.

Shirley flew high up behind the army of Winglies. As she did, she saw three of the top ranking Winglies hanging back, avoiding the fighting.

_Typical Wingly, _Shirley thought menacingly.

She loaded three arrows on her bow at once and fired them all at the three Winglies. She was amazed to see that all three hit one of the Winglies, and they died. She was pleased to see that she had improved. Two months ago she wouldn't have been able to do that.

She flew under the Winglies, her back facing the ground, and fired arrow after arrow at them as she zoomed by in the direction of her Vassal Dragon. She watched satisfied as Wingly after Wingly fell to the ground because of her firing arrows at them while they were unaware. Shirley reached her Dragon and was pleased to see that she had healed her wound. She flew off in Syuveil's direction who was fighting a Wingly. As she approached, Shirley quickly, and expertly fired an arrow at it.

Shirley flew over to Syuveil.

"Thanks." He said. "I really must practice more."

"Too much reading Syuveil?" Shirley said laughing.

"It seems so." Shirley laughed again as Syuveil zoomed of in the direction of his Vassal Dragon. Shirley glimpsed Zeig in battle with two Winglies, his Dragon beside him attacking a Virage. She flew that way. Charging an arrow with light energy she fired it at a Wingly Zeig was fighting. Had she not, it would have killed him, as he was too pre-occupied with the other one he was fighting. Soon after Shirley killed it, Zeig killed his.

He flew over to Shirley saying; "By the gods' thank you. He almost had me." Shirley smiled saying back; "I'm sure you would have blocked it. All those hours you spend in the training courtyard." He grinned boyishly as his Vassal Dragon flew up to him and gestured for him to get on. Zeig grabbed Shirley by the arm and she got on the Dragon too.

The Dragon surged forwards into a great throng of Winglies, probably about one hundred. As it approached, Shirley fired arrow after arrow into the throng. When she ran out, she just summoned them with magic. When the Dragon got in range it let out a great torrent of fire, as it zoomed by still moving. Zeig lashed out with his sword as the Dragon quickly flew by. When the Dragon was about to fly out of the throng of Winglies, Zeig jumped off expertly, doing a flip in mid-air and bringing his sword down on a Winglies head. Shirley followed suit, jumping off, thought not quite as expertly as Zeig, and fired arrows at any Wingly who dared get close to her or Zeig.

They continued in this fashion for a while until a horn sounded in the distance. Shirley looked that way and saw a lone Wingly hovering in the air. At the sound of the horn, all the surviving Winglies flew in that direction. They were retreating. They had won the battle, but the war was far from over.

Flying down to ground level, Shirley looked around for Damia or Bel'zac. While looking for them, she healed any warrior she met, making no difference between human or Wingly. When she healed a Wingly, it flew off quickly giving her a very odd look. She continued healing the wounded for about half an hour, before Damia walked up to her. Her hammer tainted with blood.

"Told you I can handle myself." She said, slightly irritated.

"Yes, I see that now." Shirley said smiling. "We should get back to Vellweb. Diaz will want to call a meeting. You can come too. We can present the idea of you being the Water Dragoon then." Damia nodded and allowed Shirley to pick her up and fly her to Vellweb.

"The fact that the Winglies can even get close to Fort Magrad without us knowing is very disconcerting indeed, very alarming." Diaz was saying a few hours later in the war room.

"Maybe they can go invisible." Damia offered excitedly. Diaz smiled as a teacher would when their child thinks they've outwitted them.

"No. That is unlikely. It is possible though, that they can hide well in foliage. There are many forests very much near Magrad. And it is possible that they just hide in there." Diaz said.

"Either way, it's bad for us." Syuveil said.

"Yes it is. Perhaps we should consider putting outposts around Fort Magrad and Vellweb? We cannot afford to lose either."

"Unfortunately," Bel'zac said. "We cannot afford to build these outposts either."

"What if you put sentries in the forests and then when they see Winglies they send up magical sparks into the air or something…." Damia said. She had begun confident. But as she plowed on with her idea, she became for un-sure of what she was saying it seemed.

"You know," Diaz said. "That is actually a good idea. Zeig," He said turning to the man in red armor on his left. "See that it's done." Zeig nodded and left the room. "Very well. You are all dismissed." Everyone got up to leave, everyone except Shirley and Damia.

"Yes Shirley? Was there something you needed?" he asked kindly.

"Actually yes sir. You know of course how we haven't been able to find someone who can handle the immense magical powers of the Water Dragon?"

"I do." He said his eyes twinkling as he looked at Damia hopefully.

"Well…"

"I could do it." Damia burst out. "I don't know if you were at that last battle Emperor, but I kicked butt! I can already use a weapon with skill, I can already use basic water based magic, and am half-mermaid. So I have a special power which allows me to control water better then any water based human magician." It was an impressive speech. Short, and to the point. Diaz liked it seemed.

"Yes. I think you would make an excellent Water Dragoon. Usually it is Zeig that accompanies new Dragoons, but as he is not here, Shirley will come with you." Damia' face brightened hugely.

"I'm going to be a Dragoon? Like Shirley? Awesome!" She punched the air and jumped out of her seat doing a very odd, but very spirited happy dance around the chamber. A moment later she caught herself and sat back down, her face reddening.

"Do not be embarrassed Damia. You are fifteen, and it is only natural for you to be excited about the prospect of being a Dragoon. Now Shirley, take her to the Water Dragon."

"I don't know where that is sir." Shirley said.

"Oh! Yes, yes, of course you don't, my mistake." He pulled out the very same map he had shown Shirley Rouge on so long ago. He pointed to a little cove near the coastline of an island in the Tiberian ocean. "Here you will find the Water Dragon. It is a little island near Furni." He indicated a small fishing village on a bigger island. "You'll have to travel over Tiberoa to get there. The island is called Prison Island. There you will find the Water Dragon. Go now."


End file.
